Water-power



(No Model.)

M J. ERSKINE.

WATER POWER.

Patented Dec..1, 1885.

JNVEJVTOR N. PETERS. Pnnwumo nymr. Wishinglun, n c,

UNITED STATES MILTON JAMES ERSKINE,

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OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

WATER-POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,694, dated December 1, 1885.

' Application filed June 2, 1885. Serial No. 167,376. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, llIILTON .Liirns Ens- KINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State ofNebraska,have invented an Improvementin Water-Powers named Erskines Water-Power, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is without expensive dams or races to utilize the power of the currents in the streams that flow across the plains from the mountains to the Mississippi river and other streams of similar character. The rapidity of the current, steady flow and stage of water, freedom from driftwood, difficulty of keeping dams on account of the sandy nature of the beds of the streams, and the fact that most of these streams flow through regions almost destitute of wood and stone or any material for maintaining dams and races and fuel for producing steam, all combine to make this motor especially adapted to these streams. It is an economical motor. Its power may be increased to any desired extent adapted to the conformation of the stream by increasing the number of the wheels.

The mechanism of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire structure. Fig. 2 is a top view of one row of the wheels.

It is a series of floating wheels, as shown in Fig. 1, with shafts working in rollers at R. The wheels 0 are water-tight cylinders, each six feet in diameter by twelve feet in length, with sixteen paddles, I, at equal distances, extending full length of the cylinder. These wheels are free to rise and fall with the surface of the stream. The rollers R have flanges at each edge of the periphery, and play on vertical bearing-rail D, which faces the current. This bearing-rail is supported by avertical timber,A. There is a couuter-rail,l3,set opposite, as an additional guide and support to the roller. These rails are fixed in piles E, which are driven firmly into the bed of the stream. There is a frame, F,exten ding across the top. The wheels are combined in rows directly across the current by locking together the spindles, as at S, Fig. 2, on the abutting ends of adjacent wheels. Rows are geared to gether by means of cog-wheels or sprocket- .vice answers for both.

wheels and endless chains near the middle of the rows, at N, or by crank-arm at the outside end of the wheels. 7

The power is transmitted to the machinery, which is to be operated by means of pulleywheels and endless rope G. Cog-wheels may be used by having the cog-wheels in the machinery with cogs vertical and extended to accommodate the rise and fall of the cogwheel in the motor, or the cog-wheel of the machinery may have a shaft sufficiently long with vertical play at the end next the motor, this shaft to be supported by vertical rails and roller same as those herein described.

At points where by reason of weight the wheels would be too much submerged weights will be suspended by ropes over pulleys and fastened to the spindles to counterbalance this effect.

The motion of the wheels may be stopped by means of the Windlass 1V, rope H, and pulleys. The rope from the Windlass extends first over a pulley directly above the Windlass. This pulley is used only as a guide to keep the rope in position. From this the rope extends over one wheel of a two-wheel pulley at the top of the frame directly above the nearest spindle; thence down to and around the pulley wheel attached to the spindle; thence up and over the second wheel of the upper pulley; then to and over one wheel of another two-wheel pulley directly above the junction of the spindle at the opposite end of this cylinder, with the spindle on the next cylinder in the row, where the same device is provided as described at first spindle, these spindles being firmly locked together, one de- This arrangement is continued to the end of the row, and the rope is then carried over to the next row by means of extra pulleys used as guides. It is then continuedalong this row and each additional row until the last spindle is reached, to which spindle the rope will be attached. The rope being wound on the Windlass, the wheels are raised in the water until their weight balances the power,when the motion ceases. The Windlass slides on the shaft or spindle of the wheel, and when not in use does not revolve with it. The motion of the wheel is transmitted to it by sliding it against an abutting clutch-wheel on the shaft at 0. By applying cxtrensic power to the Windlass the wheels may be lifted entirely from the water. The lever L is sufficient for this purpose.

The cylinders may be constructed of wood in the manner of a cask, with straight or slightly-bulged sides. There is a water-tight door in one end to admit workmen to repair damage orleaks. The paddles are plain blades, varying in depth from six to twenty inches,t0 suit depth of water.

The spindles S, Fig. 2, are attached to the ends of the cylinders. One spindle passes the bearing for the purpose of attachment to the abutting-spindle. Each spindle is nine inches long. Four inches will be taken up by socket and point for locking together. They will be two inches thick, except at gudgeons, where they will be one and one-half inch. One has gudgeon for roller and the other for the pulley. By means of wide flanges they will be firmly attached to the cylinders.

The rollers R are three inches in diameter, exclusive of the flanges. They will be two inches thick at periphery and bore for spindle will be as'light as possible; will have one and three-fourths inch space between the flanges. Flanges one-half inch deep, flaring onward slightly. There are six conical-shaped bores at equal distances from middle of periphery to the inside surface for the purpose of oiling the gudgeon.

Piles are driven in the bed of the stream E in rectangular order in rows across the current twelve feet and fourteen inches from center to center, and sufficiently distant in the other direction to permit wheels to revolve without clashing. Their tops after driving should be one and one-half foot above low-water mark. From these piles E are erected the bearingrails A D, and counter-rail B, set opposite at distance of three and one-fourth inches. B and D are iron bars one and three-fourths by three-fourths inch. Across the top of these rows of rails in both directions beams F are fixed to form bracings and supports for rails and pulleys.

I claim as my invcntion and ask Letters Patent for- The combination of the buoyant wheels 0, having paddles I, and sprocket wheels and endless chain N, vertical rails A D B, spindles S, rollers R, frame F, ropes, pulleys,and balance-weights, as described, the Windlass W, clutch-wheel O, rope H, pulleys M, and lever L, as described.

MILTON JAMES ERSKINE.

Witnesses:

F. L. OURAND, O. H. OURAND. 

